BIODIVERSITY IN THE PARASITIC FLUKE GENUS ALLOGLOSSIDIUM: EVOLUTIONARY ORIGINS OF CHANGES IN LIFE CYCLE COMPLEXITY

寄生虫生命周期复杂性包括寄主种类和寄主数量，是寄生虫生态学和进化中最基本和最有趣的组成部分之一。然而，由于仍有大量未被描述的寄生虫生物多样性，对生命周期复杂性变化的进化模式或后果知之甚少。本研究旨在利用形态学和分子数据发现吸虫（吸虫）属的新种。这个属的迷人之处在于，在已知的物种中，完成生命周期所需的宿主数量（2或3个）和最终宿主物种（小龙虾、鲶鱼、水蛭）的使用存在差异。因此，本项目还将使用异音草属作为一个示范模型来测试关于不同生命周期起源的进化假设，并测试生命周期变化与形态变化之间的关系。这个项目在科学上很重要，因为它将有助于更好地理解动物寄生虫生命周期复杂性的演变。这些知识对于提供传染病传播和寄生虫感染新宿主物种的可能性的关键见解是必要的。更广泛的影响包括在寄生虫学、分类学和分子系统发育等重要领域为研究生和本科生提供研究和教育机会。本科生将从德州农工大学摄政学者（低收入，第一代学生）项目和路易斯·斯托克斯少数民族参与联盟中招募。为了方便向更广泛的受众（如K-12教育工作者）推广，一个基于网络的实地指南将提供有关本研究中寄生虫和宿主生物的免费教育资源和自然历史事实。

Parasite life cycle complexity, which encompasses both host species and number of hosts in the life cycle, is one of the most fundamental and intriguing components of parasite ecology and evolution. However, because there remains a significant amount of undescribed parasite biodiversity, little is known about the evolutionary patterns or consequences of changes in life cycle complexity. This study aims to use morphological and molecular data to discover new species in the trematode (fluke) genus Alloglossidium. What makes this genus fascinating is that among known species there is variation in the number of hosts needed to complete the life cycle (2 or 3) and variation in the use of final host species (crayfishes, catfishes, leeches). Thus, this project will also use the genus Alloglossidium as an exemplary model to test evolutionary hypotheses about the origins of different life cycles and test for relationships between life cycle changes and morphological changes.This project is scientifically important because it will contribute to a better understanding of the evolution of life cycle complexity in parasites of animals. Such knowledge is necessary to provide key insights into infectious disease transmission and the potential for parasites to infect new host species. Broader impacts include research and educational opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students in important areas such as parasitology, taxonomy, and molecular phylogenetics. Undergraduates will be recruited from the Texas A&M Regents Scholars (low income, first generation students) program and Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation. To facilitate outreach to a broader audience such as K-12 educators, a web-based field guide will provide free educational resources and natural history facts on the parasites and host organisms in this study.